Straw spreader and chaff spreader for a combine harvester

Abstract

A spreader system of an agricultural vehicle for spreading crop residue including first and second spreader devices and a chute. The first spreader device includes a plurality of first paddles configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotation of the first paddles producing a first stream of crop residue. The second spreader device includes a plurality of second paddles configured to rotate about a second axis, the rotation of the second paddles producing a second stream of crop residue. The chute receives the first stream of crop residue and the second stream of crop residue flow respectively from the first spreader device and the second spreader device. The first stream and the second stream of crop residue are combined in the chute.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A spreader system of an agricultural vehicle for spreading crop residue, comprising:
 a first spreader device including a plurality of first paddles configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotation of the first paddles producing a first stream of crop residue; 
 a second spreader device including a plurality of second paddles configured to rotate about a second axis, the rotation of the second paddles producing a second stream of crop residue; 
 a chute into which the first stream of crop residue and the second stream of crop residue flow respectively from the first spreader device and the second spreader device, the first stream and the second stream of crop residue being combined in the chute; and 
 a first set of arms coupled to the first spreader device, the first set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about a pivot axis, the first spreader device being pivotal from a first position to a second position that is upward and outward relative to the first position and to the agricultural vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The spreader system of  claim 1 , wherein the second spreader device and the first spreader device are positioned axially adjacent to each other. 
     
     
       3. The spreader system of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are coaxial when the first spreader devise is in the first position. 
     
     
       4. The spreader system of  claim 1 , wherein the first paddles are driven at a first rotational speed and the second paddles are driven at a second rotational speed, the first rotational speed being different than the second rotational speed. 
     
     
       5. The spreader system of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are generally horizontal when the first stream and the second stream are being combined in the chute. 
     
     
       6. The spreader system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second set of arms coupled to the second spreader device, the second set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about the pivot axis that is the same axis as the first set of arms pivot about. 
     
     
       7. The spreader system of  claim 6 , wherein the first spreader device is configured to swing away from the second spreader device about the pivot axis. 
     
     
       8. The spreader system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first power source rotating the first spreader device. 
     
     
       9. The spreader system of  claim 8 , wherein the first power source also rotates the second spreader device. 
     
     
       10. The spreader system of  claim 8 , further comprising a second power source rotating the second spreader device independent of the first spreader device. 
     
     
       11. A spreader system of an agricultural vehicle for spreading crop residue, comprising:
 a first spreader device including a plurality of first paddles configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotation of the first paddles producing a first stream of crop residue; 
 a second spreader device including a plurality of second paddles configured to rotate about a second axis, the rotation of the second paddles producing a second stream of crop residue; 
 a chute into which the first stream of crop residue and the second stream of crop residue flow respectively from the first spreader device and the second spreader device, the first stream and the second stream of crop residue being combined in the chute; 
 a first set of arms coupled to the first spreader device, the first set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about a pivot axis; and 
 a second set of arms coupled to the second spreader device, the second set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about the pivot axis. 
 
     
     
       12. The spreader system of  claim 11 , wherein the first spreader device is configured to swing upward and outward from the chute and the second spreader device, the second spreader device is configured to swing upward and outward with the chute toward the first spreader device. 
     
     
       13. The spreader system of  claim 11 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are coaxial when the first spreader device and the second spreader device are adjacent each other. 
     
     
       14. An agricultural vehicle for harvesting a crop, the vehicle comprising:
 a threshing system producing a first stream of crop residue; 
 a cleaning system producing a second stream of crop residue; and 
 a spreader system including:
 a first spreader device including a plurality of first paddles configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotation of the first paddles encountering the first stream of crop residue; 
 a second spreader device including a plurality of second paddles configured to rotate about a second axis, the rotation of the second paddles encountering the second stream of crop residue; 
 a chute into which the first stream of crop residue and the second stream of crop residue flow respectively from the first spreader device and the second spreader device, the first stream and the second stream of crop residue being combined in the chute; and 
 
 a first set of arms coupled to the first spreader device, the first set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about a pivot axis, the first spreader device being pivotal from a first position to a second position that is upward and outward from the first position relative to the agricultural vehicle. 
 
     
     
       15. The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the second spreader device and the first spreader device are positioned axially adjacent to each other. 
     
     
       16. The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are coaxial. 
     
     
       17. The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the spreader system further comprises a first set of arms coupled to the first spreader device, the first set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about a pivot axis. 
     
     
       18. The agricultural vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the first spreader device is configured to swing away from the second spreader device about the pivot axis. 
     
     
       19. The agricultural vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising a second set of arms coupled to the second spreader device, the second set of arms being pivotally coupled to the agricultural vehicle about the pivot axis. 
     
     
       20. The agricultural vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the first spreader device is configured to swing upward and outward from the chute and the second spreader device, the second spreader device is configured to swing upward and outward with the chute toward the first spreader device.